Guides

Reading at home with primary-age children

Reading with a child at home is one of the most common things schools ask parents to do. It does not need special materials or long sessions.

Little and often

Ten or fifteen minutes most days usually works better than a long session once a week. Pick a time that fits the family, such as before bed.

Read to them, not only with them

Children who can read alone still benefit from hearing books read aloud that are harder than they could manage themselves. It builds vocabulary and gives them stories they would not choose yet.

Let them choose

Comics, information books and joke books all count. If a child has a favourite series, let them reread it.

Talk about the book

Ask open questions: what do you think will happen next, why did that character do that, what would you have done? Avoid turning every page into a test.

When a child is stuck on a word

Give them a moment, then suggest they use the sounds or the picture. If they are still stuck, tell them the word and carry on, so the story is not lost.

Reading in two languages

If your family speaks a language other than the school's, reading in your home language is still good practice. Skills like following a story carry across languages. <!--IMG-->